Water and Sewerage Companies: Statutory Consultees

Baroness Buscombe Excerpts

Thursday 20th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

We were very grateful for the work of the Independent Water Commission. As the noble Duke says, it is not my department that is working through the procedures needed to reply to the recommendations. The Government are considering the recommendations on whether water companies should be statutory consultees or subject to a requirement to notify. A water White Paper will be published before the end of this year, and I am sure that it will contain many of the issues that were the subject of those recommendations. People will be able to comment on the water White Paper in due course.

[Baroness Buscombe (Con)]

My Lords, is the Minister aware of how many pumping stations are either completely inoperable or malfunctioning?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

That too is probably a question for my Defra colleagues to answer, but I will come back to the noble Baroness with a written response.

Local Councils: 2023-24 Budgets

Baroness Buscombe Excerpts

Wednesday 25th January 2023 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, the energy bill relief scheme this winter provides a discount on energy for councils whose bills have been significantly inflated. This scheme was to run until 2023, and in January the Government announced that the energy bills discount scheme would run for a further year, until March 2024. But the noble Baroness opposite is right; I have already asked that question, and when I get an answer, I will come back to her.

[Baroness Buscombe (Con)]

My Lords, on average, how much of all local authority expenditure is spent on public sector pensions?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I am very sorry that I cannot give my noble friend that answer from the Dispatch Box. I will look into it and come back to her.